Valve for explosive-engines



' I. P. BERGERON.

VALVE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23| IQIB.

1,326,838. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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Z/zJsAffom JASMIN PIERRE BEBGERON, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

VALVE FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Application filed October 23, 1918. Serial No. 259,335.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JASMIN PIERRE BER- onnon, a citizen of the United States, residin at Pasadena, in the county of Los Ange es, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a valve for explosive engines, and is particularly useful for that class of engines in which the mixture is exploded in a chamber separated from that in which it is compressed. The embodiment shown herein is designed particularly for the type of engine disclosed in my Patent 1,272,698 for rotary internal combustion engines, granted July 16, 1918, wherein the compressed mixture is introduced into an explosion chamber, exploded therein, and the expanding gases then directed against a rotor.

To obtain the greatest efi'ective power from the explosion, it is evident that the compressed mixture must be held positively Within the ex losion chamber until its pressure has attained the maximum value, and that, at the instant of ignition, the impulse force be immediately available so that its eatest motive force may be availed of. It 18 well known that the action of explosive gases is not a comparatively slow, sustained expansion like that of steam, but that the force of explosion is practically instantaneous and the expansion limited and quickly dissipated.

Inventors have tried to obtain these results by closing the discharge opening of explosion chamber by means of springs ressing a valve against compression. Some ave used closure bands or imperforate parts of the rotor, and others have used valves within the explosion chamber, depending on mechanically operated devices to nchronously open the valves and explode t e char e. In all of these methods, the timing 0 the spark must be so extremely accurate that no variation is allowable, otherwise, should the bucket or'other impact member arrive at the position where under normal conditions it would be acted upon by the explosion, and the ignition should bsdelayed, the compressed gases escaping unfired into the bucket would be dissipated instantly and expanded without motive effect. Should there be a delay in the opening of the valve or closure and explosion occur in the closed chamber, there would still be no motive value, and in most cases the resulting explosion (as in a choked gun barrel) would be disastrous in its consequence.

I have utilized the forces of compression and explosion for actuating a valve, whereby the pressure of the compressed gas mixture as it is introduced into explosion chamber holds the valve upon its seat and prevents passage of the latter through the discharge opening, and whereby th explosion tself displaces and removes the valve from its seat, permitting discharge of th exploded gases. The structure is so arranged that these actions occur in proper sequence and at the proper time.

The valve is loosely held in a shuttle, which is slidably movable across the discharg end of the explosion chamber. The valve is held upon its seat, controlling the discharge port by pressure of the gas in the usual manner. The force of explosion moves the shuttle, pushin the valve ofl its seat, and thus allowing t e unimpeded action of the gases in a main explosion chamher to take effect on the rotor.

I accomplish these results by means of the embodiments of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which; Figure 1 is a plan view of the discharge end of an explosion chamber, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a fragment of a rotary internal combustion engine equipped with my improved valve, the rotor being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a section as seen on the line 33 of Fig. l with the shuttl removed. Fig. 4 is a section through a modified form of valve.

Referring more particularly to the Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the explosion chamber of an engine is indicated by 5', and is supplied with a compressed mixture from a source (not shown). The rotor which is the outer memher is indicated by 6 and is provided with serrations 7 forming buckets, against which the exploded gases impinge. The spark plug is indicated generaliy by 8. It will be noted that the valve is located adjacent to the discharge end of the explosion chamher and controls the passage of gas therethrough.

A bore extends transverse to the explosion chamber and opens to the exterior at one side thereof. Threaded into the bore is a shuttle cage 9. The cage is cylindrical in.

form and provided with a wall 10 forming an upper air chamber therein. In the Wall 10 is a port 11 for the discharge of'air. A

valve 12 controls port 11, and a regu-l rings 22 to prevent the escape of the gases lat fng screw 13 controls the amount of closure of valve 12. An annular channel is formed in the wall of the air chamber, and disposed therein is an oil wick 14 for the purpose of lubricating a piston operating therein. An oil feed pipe 15 communicates through a passage 16 with the oil wick.

The valve shuttle comprises a piston 17 formed with a valve cage 18, in which is loosely mounted a ball valve 19. The head of the valve cage fits into the counter-bore of a primary ignition chamber 20, thereby closing the atter. A bypass 21 connects the ignition chamber 20 and the interior of the valve cage. The valve cage is open In line with the explosion chamber and its discharge opening. Secured to piston 17 is a stem 22 which is slidably mounted in a bore in wall 10. Secured to the stem 22 below wall 10 is a nut 23 for abutment by a spring 4 24. Spring 24 is for returning the shuttle to its inner position. The spark plug 8 is of the usual type, and is so disposed that its points are Within the ignition chamber 20.

The compressed explosive mixture is introduced from a separate source (not shown) into the explosion chamber 5, entering the valve cage, and some of the mixture passing through the bypass 21 into the ignition chamber 20. The pressure of the mixture holds valve 19 upon its seat and practically locks the shuttle from movement. Spring 24 is so adjusted that the compression pressure is not suflicient to move the shuttle, but opposes no appreciable resistance to the movement of the shuttle when acted upon by the greater force of the explosion in the primary explosion chamber 20. The ignition of the mixture by the spark plug 8 raises the pressure in the primary ignition chamber and slides the shuttle against the locking pressure of the valve 19 and against the action of spring 24. The explosive pressure in the primer chamber 20 acts first upon the shuttle, sli es the latter dragging and lifting the valve from its seat. The ex losion in explosion chamber 5 exerts an a ditional pressure tending to slide the shuttle and to retain it out of the way during the explosion period. The air chamber and its piston acts to cushion the movement of the shuttle, as the air can escape slowly through the port 11. Movement of the shuttle outwardly drags the valve 19 off of its seat, and thereby opens the dischar e. The expanding gases pass out war y against the impact member, such as the rotor, until the force has been fully expended, whereupon the spring 24 returns the shuttle to normal position with the valve 19 in readiness to again close the discharge opening. The position of the shuttle and ball va e when off its seat is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The piston 17 is provided with expansion durmg compression and explosion; the valve shuttle is so loosely fitted in its slideway that it will at no time be impeded from freely moving through tem erature expansion. The piston may be lu ricated in any manner found suitable, as by an oil well in the air chamber, but owing to the difference of angular positions of the various chambers in the complete engine, I prefer to lubricate the rings by a Wick 14 fed with oil, a pipe connecting with the general oiling system of the engine (not shown).

The air confined in the air chamber acts as a cushion to reduce the shock, when the shuttle is pushed outwardly by the explosive force. The adjustable air valve 12 allows for control of this air cushion, but does not impede quick admission of air into the chamber, as the valve may rise from its seat upon the return of the shuttle thereby opening the air port. The constant air renewal acts to cool the shuttle in addition to the radiation ribs upon the ex losive chamber. The air valve 12 is preferably held slightly open at all times by means of the screw 13 to allow the escape of any gas, which may leak into the chamber around the expansion rings.

In Fig. 4 a valve and shuttle of a modified form is shown. The operation is identical with the construction just described, but instead of using a ball valve a flat disk valve is shown and indicated by 19. The valve 19 is housed in a suitable valve cage 18 forming a part of the shuttle.

The basic feature of this invention lies in a lift, preferabl a free valve of any a propriate form, he d in a shuttle, which is inwardly disposed within the explosion chamber. The valve controls the dischar e opening, and is adapted to be moved 1 l0m its seat by movement of the shuttle outwardly. Another feature is the auxiliary or primary explosion chamber, in which art of the charge is ex loded to move the s uttle. The valve is held upon its seat by the pressure of compression, and the shuttle remains in an inward position under the action of this pressure. Upon explosion the valve shuttle moves outwardly forcing the valve from its seat.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of an explosion chamber having a discharge ort, an auxiliary explosion chamber, a va ve structure comprismic; a shuttle controlling said port and slidab e transversely thereof, said shuttle be- 111g provided with means acted upon b the p'essure of explosion in the auxiliary 0 amr to slide said shuttle and open said port.

2. The combination of an explosion chamber having a discharge port, an auxiliary explosion chamber, a valve structure comprising a shuttle controlling said port and slidable transversely thereof, said shuttle being provided with means acted upon by the pressure of explosion in the auxiliary chamber to slide said shuttle and open said port, and resilient means tending to hold said shuttle in closed position.

3. In an explosion chamber a valve structure comprising a valve held upon its seat by the pressure of the compressed mixture, and means operated by the pressure of ex- 3 plosion to move said valve from its seat.

4. A valve structure comprising a lift valve member for controlling a passage, said valve member being held upon its seat by fluid pressure, and means actuated by an increase in fluid pressure to push said valve transversely from its seat.

5. A valve structure comprising a valve member for controlling a passage, said member being arranged to be held upon its seat by fluid pressure acting thereon normal to the plane of said seat, and means acting upon said valve structure to transversely move the latter so as to transversely slide said member from its seat, said means being actuated by an increase in fluid pressure.

6. A valve structure comprising a lift valve member for controlling a passage, said valve member being held upon its seat by fluid pressure, a valve cage therefor movable away from said seat, and means actuated by an increase in the fluid pressure to move said cage.

7. A valve structure comprising a lift valve member said valve member being held upon its seat by fluid pressure, a valve cage for said valve member slidable transversely of said seat, and means actuated by fluid pressure to slide said cage.

8. In combination with an explosion chamber having a discharge port, a valve cage slidable transversely of said port, a

movable septum secured to said valve for sliding said cage when acted upon by fluid pressure, a lift valve in said cage controlling aid discharge port, and resilient means tending to hold said cage against sliding movement.

9. In combination with an explosion chamber having a discharge port and an ignition chamber adjacent said port opening to said explosion chamber, a valve cage slidable transversely of said port having its head seating over said ignition chamber, a movable septum secured to said valve for sliding said cage when acted upon by fluid pressure, a lift valve in said cage controlling said discharge port, and resilient means tending to hold said cage against sliding movement.

10. In combination with an explosion chamber having a discharge port, a piston chamber having its axis transverse to said port, a valve cage slidable transversely of said port, a piston secured to said valve cage and disposed in said cylinder, a lift valve in aid cage controlling said discharge port, and resilient means tending to hold said cage against sliding.

11. In combination with an explosion chamber having a discharge port, a piston chamber having its axis transverse to said port, an ignition chamber opening into said explosion chamber, a valve cage slidable transverse to said port, said cage having a head seating over said ignition chamber, a

bypass connecting said ignition chamber and said explosion chamber, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said cylinder for sliding said cage when acted upon by fluid pressure, a lift valve in said cage controlling said discharge port, and resilient means tending to hold said cage against sliding movement.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 14th day of October, 1918.

JASMIN PIERRE BERGERON. 

